Austin Cullen
Commissioner Austin Cullen is a British Columbia Supreme Court Justice, serving since 2001. He was appointed Associate Chief Justice in 2011.
Prior to his appointment to the British Columbia Supreme Court, Commissioner Cullen held the role of Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the Criminal Justice Branch from 1999 to 2001. Before that, Commissioner Cullen held roles as Crown Counsel, including the position of Regional Crown Counsel for the Vancouver Region from 1997 to 1999. He also worked in private practice.
Commissioner Cullen graduated from the University of Victoria with a B.A. and the University of British Columbia Law School with an LL.B. He was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1976.
Senior Commission Counsel are responsible for directing the work of Commission lawyers and staff, identifying and obtaining the evidence required for the Commissioner's reports, and conducting the hearings.
Brock Martland, QC
A partner at the firm of Martland & Saulnier in Vancouver, Brock Martland, QC, practises in the area of criminal law, handling trials and appeals, mainly for the defence and sometimes for the Crown. He has been involved in cases concerning police discipline, administrative and constitutional law, extradition and youth justice.
Mr. Martland comes to the role of Senior Commission Counsel with experience as Associate Commission Counsel for the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River and for the Frank Paul Inquiry (the Davies Commission) into the death of Frank Paul.
He is a graduate of the University of Victoria (Law) and Queen's University (B.A. (Hon.)). Mr. Martland clerked for the Honourable Justice Major at the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Patrick McGowan, QC
A Vancouver-based trial and appellate lawyer who practises criminal, civil and administrative law, Patrick McGowan has been involved in cases dealing with a wide variety of complex legal and constitutional issues in British Columbia and at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Mr. McGowan served as Associate Commission Counsel in two earlier inquiries: the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, and the Braidwood Commissions of Inquiry into Conducted Energy Weapon Use and the Death of Robert Dziekanski.
Mr. McGowan obtained his law degree from the University of British Columbia, following which he clerked with the Supreme Court of British Columbia. He currently practises with the law firm Ritchie Sandford McGowan.
Tam Boyar
One of the co-founders of MacKay Boyar, Tam Boyar regularly acts for clients in a wide range of civil, criminal and administrative law matters including proceedings before regulatory and administrative tribunals, and professional discipline matters involving lawyers, police officers and other professionals.
He has argued cases at all levels of court in British Columbia and recently acted for the Attorney General of British Columbia on two significant constitutional cases.
Mr. Boyar obtained common law and civil law degrees from McGill University and served as a law clerk to the Honourable Justice Morris Fish at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Nicholas Isaac
Nicholas Isaac has been named as Associate Commission Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. Mr. Isaac is a graduate of Queen's University, obtained his law degree from the University of Victoria, and clerked for the British Columbia Court of Appeal. After being called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2011, Mr. Isaac practised civil, constitutional and administrative litigation with a major national firm in Vancouver, where he gained extensive trial experience.
Mr. Isaac subsequently became litigation counsel in the Enforcement Division of the British Columbia Securities Commission, handling cases involving various forms of market misconduct, including securities fraud, market manipulation, and insider trading.
Mr. Isaac has argued cases at all level of courts in British Columbia and has appeared before various administrative tribunals.
Alison Latimer, QC
Alison Latimer, QC has been named as Associate Commission Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. A trial and appellate lawyer whose practice includes constitutional, civil, administrative and criminal law, she was called to the Bar in both British Columbia and the Yukon. Ms. Latimer practises in Vancouver.
Ms. Latimer has argued cases at all levels of court in British Columbia, Alberta, the Federal Court system, and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also appeared before administrative tribunals and provides litigation and policy support to a number of administrative tribunals.
Ms. Latimer obtained her law degree from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, where she acts occasionally as an adjunct professor. She frequently presents at conferences and publishes on issues pertaining to her practice.
Eileen Patel
Eileen Patel joins the team as Associate Commission Counsel. She was a partner at a boutique Vancouver civil litigation firm before joining the Commission, and practises civil litigation, with a focus on commercial and administrative law. She has appeared at trial and on appeal in all levels of court in British Columbia as well as at the Supreme Court of Canada. She has contributed to a number of CLE publications and seminars on topics such as administrative law, practice, and securities litigation.
Ms. Patel is a graduate of UBC Law, where she was the Law Society gold medallist and a Wesbrook Scholar, and clerked at the British Columbia Court of Appeal and at the Supreme Court of Canada for the Right Honourable Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin before starting her legal career.
Steven Davis
Steven Davis has been appointed to the role of Junior Commission Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. He is a graduate of McGill University (B.Com.) and has experience in finance. Mr. Davis obtained his law degree from the University of Victoria. After articling with the Department of Justice, he clerked for two justices of the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Kyle McCleery
Kyle McCleery is a graduate of Queen's University (B.A.) and the University of British Columbia (J.D., LL.M.). He takes on the role of Junior Commission Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. Mr. McCleery is a former law clerk with the Court of Appeal for Ontario and has experience practising criminal, civil and administrative law.
Kelsey Rose
Kelsey Rose is a general civil litigator based in Vancouver. Ms. Rose has joined the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia as Junior Commission Counsel. Prior to joining the Commission, she practised at a large regional law firm, where she primarily focused on complex commercial litigation, health law and cross-border disputes. Much of Ms. Rose's work has centered on complex issues of privacy, confidentiality and privilege.
Ms. Rose has appeared at all levels of court in B.C. and in writing at the Supreme Court of Canada. She obtained her law degree from the University of British Columbia in 2014. After clerking for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, she was called to the Bar in B.C. in 2016.
Dahlia Shuhaibar
Dahlia Shuhaibar has been appointed Junior Policy Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. She obtained her BA in French-Spanish-English translation from the University of Ottawa, where she also earned her Juris Doctor (JD).
Ms. Shuhaibar has clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court. She practices public law and civil litigation at Olthuis van Ert in Ottawa and Vancouver.
Charlotte Chamberlain
Charlotte Chamberlain has been appointed Junior Research Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia. Ms. Chamberlain is a civil litigator and research lawyer who comes to the Commission from a large international firm that is based in Vancouver. She obtained her law degree from the University of Bristol School of Law (UK), graduating with First Class Honours in 2016, and later obtained a Master of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia.